


Preschool-Sized Hell

by Achilles_Heel



Category: The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/F, Fluff, It's 1 AM And I Refuse To Tag More Right Now, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, absolute crack, but a little angst, de-aged fic, please shoot me, slowburn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:20:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25704235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Achilles_Heel/pseuds/Achilles_Heel
Summary: Small kids are cute. Thalia agrees with that sentiment. Except for when you have to babysit them, and they're Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano in the body of a 5-year-old.In other words, Thalia spends a week in preschool-sized hell, but what if hell's ruler is just really cute?
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Hazel Levesque/Frank Zhang, Jason Grace/Piper McLean, Kinzie/Hylla Ramírez-Arellano, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace, Thalia Grace/Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano
Comments: 6
Kudos: 74





	1. It's Going To Be A Long Time

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own any of Rick Riordan's characters, though heaven knows I would steal Theyna if I had the chance. That's all.

Thalia sighed as she stepped out of Cabin One at Camp Half-Blood. She saw several familiar faces and even more new ones. She loved Jason for being all-inclusive, but it was a major headache meeting all the kids of minor gods and goddesses. Unfortunately, Thalia didn’t have time to meet all of them, though she was interested in a few. Artemis had sent her on a recruiting trip for the Hunt after they lost several Hunters to Orion in San Juan. 

They had been successful at least. Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano, the senior praetor of Camp Jupiter and daughter of Bellona, had escaped the giant’s wrath, only to later slay him. While most of the Hunters (and Amazons) were grateful, Thalia felt a small twinge of resentment eating away at her whenever the Roman’s name was mentioned. She knew it wasn’t Reyna’s fault that Phoebe and Kinzie and countless others died, but she wondered often about what would’ve happened if not for Reyna and that cursed statue. 

Thalia cut her a break because Jason vouched for her, as well as the other members of the Seven and Nico. Speaking of the famous demigods, where were they? It was almost 11 A.M., and by this time Percy and Jason were usually sparring in the arena, Nico and Will were cutely bickering, and Annabeth was trying to do something productive as Piper tried to distract her with stupid things. Thalia was technically supposed to be strictly recruiting, but she knew Artemis wouldn’t be too unhinged if she caught up with her friends a little as well. 

She placed her hands on her hips, gazing around the camp. She checked the usual places. No luck. She checked the cabins, doubling back into the Zeus cabin, but she found Jason’s bunk as empty as she left it. Great. Thalia spotted Chiron at the archery range, jogging over to him quickly. He smiled when he saw her, though his tail swished nervously. She frowned. She greeted him and got straight to the point. “Where are the others?” 

Chiron passed his bow to an Apollo camper and bowed his head sighing. He defeatedly pointed to the Big House. “They’re in there. Though I will warn you in advance. As soon as you step in there, you will be the victim to something you most likely won’t desire,” he said tiredly. Thalia rolled her eyes. “OK, Socrates. Besides, I thought Mr. D was the god of drama,” she teased, turning and walking across the green to the Big House. As she neared, she heard the voices of her friends and brother talking frantically. 

Well, she wasn’t the daughter of Zeus for nothing. Without so much as a knock, she pushed the door open, studying the shocked reactions of the others. “Hey,” Thalia simply greeted. As always, Annabeth was the first to recover. “Whoa, Thalia! What are you doing here?” she smiled nervously, the rest following suit. Thalia crossed her arms and leaned against the door, raising one eyebrow. “A little centaur told me you were in here, talking about something that I would fall victim to. So?” she prompted. “What is it?”

Piper shot Annabeth a ‘really?’ look, and all the boys except for Jason looked away, though her brother was scratching the back of his head, biting the scar on his lip. Jason exhaled. “We have a problem. It’s Reyna.” Thalia stared at him, ignoring looks from Annabeth and Piper. “Explain to me how ‘we’ translates to ‘I’ in this scenario.” Percy silently put his hands up from his position behind his girlfriend and walked backwards out the side door. Nico soon followed suit, mouthing‘good luck’ and flashing her a thumbs up before disappearing. 

Thalia cursed under her breath and sat on the ping pong table, looking as Piper, Annabeth, and Jason naturally gravitated toward the other, looking uncomfortable. Thalia rolled her eyes. “Come on, let’s get to it. Whatever it is, I have other things to do.” Annabeth sighed as she wiped her hands on her jeans. “We need you to keep Reyna company for a few days. We’re all busy, and we know that the Hunt will be fine for a few days while you’re gone.” Thalia was unmoved. “OK, there are so many things wrong with that, I don’t know where to start.” She took a deep breath. “Oh wait, I do!”

“You all know that Reyna Avila freaking Ramirez-Arellano and I don’t have the best relationship with each other. Now pile on top of that the fact that she is  _ sixteen years old _ and has a camp to run by herself, and Frank when he’s not napping. And you need me to, and I quote, ‘keep Reyna company for a few days’? Someone, please explain this like a normal person, and I most likely won’t shock you. Except for you, baby bro. I will never hesitate to shock you.”

Annabeth and Jason both started, but were cut off by Piper. “Hush,” she said, channeling her charm speak. The blondes were quiet but they didn’t look happy about it. “Will?” the daughter of Aphrodite called. “Can you bring her in? We’re ready for you guys now.” Thalia’s head was swimming with questions. She saw the familiar mop of blond hair matched with a smiling face appearing in the doorway. Thalia nodded to Will, but her eyes remained glued to the girl behind him. 

It was Reyna, but about 2 ½ feet shorter, looking extremely young. She was wearing a Camp Jupiter tee that was much too big, and purple pajama pants with no shoes. Thalia gaped. “What. Happened.” Will grinned and crouched down. “Reyna, you remember Thalia?” Freakishly-small Reyna nodded enthusiastically and faced Thalia, a huge smile on her face. “My name is Reyna, and I’m 5 years old!” she exclaimed, proudly displaying six (yes, six Thalia had trouble trying not to laugh) small fingers. 

Will, Annabeth, Piper, and Jason all beamed at the two. Thalia gave them her best glare, though she turned and waved to Reyna. The young girl smiled even broader, bounding outside despite the cries of the other demigods. Piper and Jason ran after her, Jason enveloping little-Reyna into a massive bear hug before placing her on his shoulders despite Piper’s chiding remarks, though she looked amused. Thalia smiled softly before turning back to Annabeth and Will. 

“OK. Let’s hear it.” Will glanced at Annabeth before clearing his throat. “A son of Juventas, the Roman goddess of youth, was an upstart, a prideful one. He was looking to make a name for himself on the battlefield, and so he attacked Reyna from behind while they were on the battlefield. She saw it coming, of course, and promptly humiliated him in front of the Legion by beating him quickly. In his shame, he cursed her and she was de-aged.” Annabeth cut in, shrugging her shoulders apologetically. 

“Unfortunately for him, Lupa was in New Rome at the time and witnessed this, and she went off on him. According to Frank, it was horrifying. He’s currently with Lupa and the pack, who are re-evaluating him for the Legion. But of course, we still have the problem of Reyna.” She took a deep breath. “Which is why we were hoping you could take care of her. Will says it’ll last for about a week, and we know that you’re technically on leave from the Hunt. What do you say?” the daughter of Athena finished meekly. 

Thalia stared at the two, totally prepared to shoot them down. But then she looked out at Jason holding Reyna out Superman-style as they hovered in the air, Piper clapping appreciatively. Reyna looked like she was having the time of her life. “All right,” Thalia relented. “But if this goes wrong, I am NOT to blame.” Annabeth sprung up. “Deal.” They shook hands on it before heading outside to where the others were. 

Thalia’s insides were warmed at how good Jason was with Reyna. He was going to be an amazing parent someday. Piper too. “Reyna?” Annabeth smiled. “You’re going to hang out with Thalia for a week, OK? By then, you’ll be older, so we don’t have to worry about you then. How does that sound?” The mini-demigod cheered and charged Thalia, hugging her legs. Reyna’s head barely even came up to her waist, obsidian eyes staring lovingly into blue ones. Aww. “The Hecate kids will be portalling you guys back to Reyna’s villa in New Rome. Don’t ask me how that works, I have no clue. They apparently learned some weird stuff at this one school they go to during the year, again, no clue,” Piper explained. 

“They also shrunk some of Reyna clothes that will expand to fit her as she gradually grows over the course of the week. You’ll be fine on that front. Now, we’ll see you in a week, and good luck!” The group of demigods sent the pair to the Hecate cabin. From there, it was a blur. The Hecate kids said some weird stuff, she didn’t know or care, and the next thing she knew, mini-Reyna and Thalia were standing in a room that looked to be teen Reyna’s. 

Reyna groaned and climbed onto the couch against the wall. “Well,” she started, looking at Thalia expectantly. “Now that I’m done with acting like a damn 5-year-old, how about some crime documentaries? I know this one, it’s rated mature, but it’s good. Besides, I’m physically 5 years old, not mentally.” Thalia slapped herself, both physically and mentally. Evil preschool Reyna smirked. “Come on, Grace. It’s going to be a long week, we might as well get started.”


	2. Compromise, Comfort, and Whispered Warnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter title may sound mysterious, it's not. This chapter is lowkey 1.8k words of pure crack. So is this fic, so if you're looking for any plot, sorry. I had way too much fun writing this, and it shows.

“You are  _ insufferable! _ ” Thalia exploded. “How do you do this? You act all cute in their presence, but as soon as we’re alone, you act like your usual self.” She took a deep breath at seeing the hurt look on Reyna’s tiny face. She walked over to Reyna and knelt down, taking her tiny hands in her own. They were so soft and cold, like the first snowfall on the Hunt each year.

“Reyna, I’m not sure if you understand how serious the situation is. You’re a 15-year-old in the body of a 5-year-old. While normal you is in there, you  _ will  _ be affected by your 5-year-old self. You’re going to be exhausted, trying to do teenage things in a preschooler’s body. Which is why you need me, to help with things that you physically and even mentally can’t do. We need you, and we need to keep you safe. Which is why we’ll both have to be a little nicer to each other, OK? Do you understand me, Rey?” Reyna nodded guiltily, but she held a finger up. “Don’t call me Rey. I might be 5, but I can still kill you in multiple ways.”

Thalia nodded, relieved. “Deal.” She looked at her watch. “It’s a little after lunchtime, and I realized I haven’t changed for the day. Do you know of any clothing shops in New Rome where I can get something other than what I’m wearing?” Reyna waved a hand dismissively, which was a strange gesture to see done by a 5-year-old. “You can borrow some of mine, though my jeans might be a little short on you. They’re in my room in the closet, I’ll put something together, or if you want to go out, I know a good cafe.” Thalia smiled, getting up. “Well, I’m sure you’re a better cook than I am, so we can do the former.”

The tiny demigod slid off the couch, running into the kitchen, pulling open a fridge that essentially dwarfed her. Thalia grinned in amusement and went into Reyna’s room, opening her closet and selecting a pair of ripped black jeans. She pulled them on, looking farther through the praetor’s extensive collection of purple T-shirts. At last, she spotted a black shirt in the back, tugging it off the hanger and appraising it warily. “Really, Reyna?” she called out, slipping it on. “While I love a nice band shirt, I like Green Day better than, what is this, fun.? What do you have to say for yourself?”

Thalia paused, waiting for her tiny host to shoot back an answer. Instead, she heard the distinct sound of clattering pans and pots crashing to the ground and a muffled yelp of pain, followed by a high-pitched voice. “ _ Et sanguinem inferum”  _ Reyna cursed. Thalia adjusted the shirt before darting out into the kitchen, looking around frantically. She saw Reyna sitting on the floor, crying. A bruise was forming around her eye, a cut trailing from the end of her eyebrow to her cheekbone. “Hey there, what happened?” Thalia hushed her, picking up the bawling preschooler and placing her on top of the counter. “I —” her lip trembled as Thalia began to wipe away some of the blood with a damp paper towel. “It’s OK, you’ll be fine,” she soothed. 

Reyna nodded tearfully. “I was going to make something, so I climbed on top of the counter and opened the cabinet. I tried to pull out the pan, but it was too heavy and it fell on me,” she whimpered. She broke out in sobs, flinging her arms at the sky. “I just want a grilled cheese sandwich, Jupiter! Is that too much to ask?” Thalia bit the inside of her cheek so hard it hurt, just to keep from laughing. She told Reyna to sit right there and not to move, she would be right back with a band-aid for her. Reyna bobbed her head glumly and swung her legs in the air as the daughter of Zeus returned shortly after with some band-aids in her hand. She cocked an eyebrow at Reyna. 

“Really? You have band-aids that are decorated with the symbols of the Roman Pantheon of gods?” Thalia questioned. Reyna looked up at her, tears still swimming in her eyes. “Frank got them for me when he first became a praetor. It was a welcome gift of sorts, but I have no idea where he got them. I’ve never used them actually,” she finished, eyeing the flimsy box with a look of suspicion, though Thalia could tell the kid in her was secretly excited. She rummaged through the box, pulling out the bandages and laying them side-by-side on the countertop. 

“How about the Bellona one?” She coaxed, waving a purple band-aid with a crossed torch and sword on it in front of the girl. “No! I want...hmm. I want the Jupiter one, like your daddy!” Thalia smiled. The 5-year-old in Reyna must have been in charge. She raised both of her eyebrows. “Are you sure?” she teased, mostly for her own enjoyment. Reyna’s jaw went slack, and she leaned back, crossing her arms. “I mean, sure, whatever. I don’t really care, band-aids are band-aids, right?” Thalia merely nodded coyly and unwrapped the sky blue bandage, placing on Reyna’s cheek like a racer stripe. Her heart traitorously ‘awwed’ at how cute Reyna looked with the little lightning bolt and eagle adorning her. 

After she washed her hands and picked up the pan and placed it into the cabinet, Thalia turned around to see Reyna hunched over, her eyes lidded somewhat heavily. She realized that even though it was only the middle of the day for her, Reyna as a 5-year-old needed substantially more sleep, hence naps. “Hey, Rey?” she prompted, not even realizing that she used the hated nickname until it was too late. Thankfully, the preschooler didn’t notice, only looking up confusedly. “I think you need a nap,” Thalia said softly. “You want to sleep in your bed? We can eat something after, OK?” Reyna’s eyes snapped open. “I don’t need a nap, I’m—”

“—a literal child,” Thalia finished. “Who needs sleep to function. And something tells me you don’t get nearly enough sleep, even as a teen. So let’s go.” She held out a hand to Reyna, who took it gingerly. Then she got a better idea. “Here,” she offered, extending her arm around Reyna’s tiny body, bringing the tiny demigod in closer to the point where the daughter of Bellona was hugging Thalia’s torso and wrapping her legs around her waist, being supported by her arm. 

Thalia hoisted her up as they walked to Reyna’s bedroom, setting the girl down gently on the bed. She lifted up the covers and chuckled as Reyna crawled under them, practically drowning in them as she burrowed, making herself as comfortable as possible. “I’ll make you a sandwich that you can eat when you wake up, OK?” she promised as she turned around to leave the room. “Thals?” a small voice stopped her. Thalia turned around, smiling at the use of the nickname. “Can you stay with me?” Reyna whimpered, her pleas pulling at Thalia’s heartstrings. 

“Of course I’ll stay with you, just let me grab something real quick, all right?” Thalia reassured her. The girl nodded and Thalia left the room, returning several moments laters with her laptop and headphones in hand. Reyna studied her suspiciously. “I thought demigods weren’t supposed to have electronics,” she articulated. “Mine’s been enchanted by Artemis. It’ll be our secret, OK?” Thalia put a finger to her lips, watching as Reyna’s eyes went wide and she nodded her head. “OK then, Rey. It’s nap time,” she said, climbing into bed beside her. 

She didn’t object when the tiny demigod snuggled into her side as Thalia pulled out her laptop and opened it up, plugging in her headphones and turning on some Green Day. Soon, the only sounds that filled the room were the soft breathing of a sleeping Reyna and the click-clack of keys. About an hour had passed when she glanced up at the clock, debating whether or not to wake Reyna. She decided she would let her sleep for as long as she needed, seeing as it was already late afternoon. She could just eat dinner when she woke up. 

A voice interrupted her thoughts. Thalia looked up, startled, at the equally confused face of Hylla Ramirez-Arellano. She yanked her headphones off, glaring into the Iris Message. “ _ Grace!? _ ” the Amazon roared. Thalia furiously put a hand to her lips, flaring her eyes out in warning. “Keep your voice down!” the daughter of Zeus hissed. “What are you doing in my sister’s bed and where the Hades is my sister? I swear to Bellona that I will  _ kill  _ you if anything’s happened to Reyna,” Hylla whisper-screamed. Thalia pointed to the sleeping form beside her, which was beginning to stir. She shot Hylla a pleading look. “Can we take this outside, please?” she begged, slipping out from underneath the covers and into the hallway, closing the door. 

The queen of the Amazons took a deep breath and ran a hand through her hair. “OK. Explain to me 3 things: 1) Why is my sister a preschooler? 2) Why are  _ you  _ of all people babysitting her? 3) Why was I not told about her condition?” If looks could kill, Thalia would’ve called up Nico and asked him to plan her funeral service with as much good music as possible. “Oh gods,” she started, “I will explain what I was told. You weren’t told because this only happened like this morning; some Juventas camper cursed her so she was 10 years younger or something, I don’t know the details.” Thalia shrugged and sent her an apologetic glance. 

“But honestly though? I have no idea what I’m doing here. Annabeth, Jason, Piper, the others...they all forced this upon me, claiming they were ‘too busy’ to deal with Reyna like this. If you know anything about how to deal with younger Reyna, that would help me so much.” she confessed. Hylla’s expression softened. “You should know that if you give Reyna too many jellybeans, you’ll never get her to bed. She loves the aquarium, and she used to go there all the time in San Juan. She’s a grilled cheese addict. I’m not kidding. Try and get her to bed earlier than you’d think. Finally, and I can not stress this enough, keep her away from the Legion. New Rome is fine, but I do _not_ __ want to hear how Reyna gets impaled by a unicorn or trampled by some elephant.” 

Thalia nodded, taking mental notes about everything. Both she and Hylla winced as a crash was heard from the other side of the Iris message, in one of the Amazon warehouses Hylla was at. The elder daughter of Bellona tilted her head to the side. “I really must go now, but if you need me to help, I should be able to come on down hopefully. Good luck, Grace, and take care of my baby sister!” And with that, the message disappeared. For the billionth time that day, Thalia wondered what she had gotten herself into. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'She broke out in sobs, flinging her arms at the sky. “I just want a grilled cheese sandwich, Jupiter! Is that too much to ask?” '  
> Y'all, I was like: yes. this needs to happen.   
> Please tell me what you think, and @officialbookwizard thinks I should write one where Thalia is the de-aged one. What do y'all think?


	3. Bonum Nocte

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is a much shorter chapter than previously, about 1k words less. Don't worry, I'll be back with extended idiocy soon. 
> 
> The next chapter is Theyna going to an aquarium, a Jercy bromance/stupidity, and a VERY derpy looking shark plushy.

Thalia sighed and turned back after the Iris message disappeared, gently pushing the door open, ready to wake up Reyna from her nap. Her heart came to a screeching halt, then accelerated once again upon seeing the bed empty. She looked around frantically, before noticing a small figure poised by the window, desperately trying to see out of it, though her forehead barely even reached the window sill. Thalia swept up behind Reyna silently, lifting her up from behind and placing her on her hip so she could see. The daughter of Zeus was pleased when the tiny demigod let loose a shriek of pleasure, turning and even planting a small kiss on Thalia’s cheek. 

“How about dinner, huh?” she asked her. Reyna nodded vigorously, sliding down from Thalia’s grasp and running out of the room as fast as she could, making a beeline for the front door. Thalia lunged after her, tackling her gently to the ground, panting. “If you stay we can make grilled cheese.” Reyna immediately stopped moving, instead running to the kitchen and trying to climb on the counter and opening the cabinet. Thalia’s eyes widened as she saw the tiny hand reaching for the handle. 

“Reyna!” she barked, probably a little too harshly. She softened her tone as the girl looked at her with a mixture of fear and confusion. Thalia raised an eyebrow. “Remember what happened last time you tried this by yourself?” she intoned, pointing to her own cheek and eye area. “Oh.” The preschooler slumped. “Yeah.” Thalia chuckled, getting up and walking into the kitchen, picking Reyna off of the counter, and setting her on the ground. “Tell you what,” she started. “You can watch some TV, and I’ll make sandwiches, OK? After that, we can eat dinner, and we can play a game or go on a walk or something, and then it’s bedtime. Deal?”

The preschooler nodded happily and scampered off to the living room, and a few minutes after, Thalia heard the TV being switched on and the click of buttons on the remote. She turned her attention away from her tiny host and focused on the task ahead of her. She grabbed Reyna’s mortal enemy, the grilled cheese pan, and set it on the stove. She collected the bread, cheese, and butter and set it in front of her. To be honest, she had no idea what she was doing, but she had a sneaking suspicion that the tastebuds of a 5-year-old weren’t too advanced. 

Minutes later, Thalia was holding two plates of grilled cheese. She had burned both of them on one side, but she placed the charred side down, hoping Reyna wouldn’t notice. Thalia called Reyna over, and they ate in silence except for when Reyna kept gushing about the sandwich. The literal _sandwich_. As soon as the preschooler finished, she bounded up, trying to wash her hands at the sink but being way too short, so Thalia had to hold her up. “OK! Let’s play a game, all right? I have Scrabble and jellybeans, so we’ll be busy tonight,” she cheered. The daughter of Zeus internally groaned as Reyna pulled out a bag of all-black jellybeans. 

“Reyna. Do I want to know what flavor those jellybeans are?” she asked wearily. “They’re cappuccino,” the daughter of Bellona smiled. Thalia stared. “Absolutely not,” she said, snatching the bag out of her hands. “It’s 6 pm and I have no desire to try and get a caffeinated preschooler to bed in two hours. Do you have any other kinds?” she questioned. Reyna began to protest but a look from Thalia silenced her. “I have some watermelon ones,” she grumbled. “Perfect,” Thalia smiled, swapping the bags as Reyna took her hand, leading her into the living room. The 5-year-old grabbed a cardboard box from under the TV and doled out Scrabble chips and jellybeans alike as Thalia watched. 

The rest of the night was uneventful for the most part, but the daughter of Zeus had not been expecting to be beaten at the game by a preschooler. Well, she amended, technically a 15-year-old, but still. It hurt. “All right then,” Thalia groaned. “Bedtime. Go brush your teeth, and, well, I suppose you’re still in your pajamas, so there. I’ll be there in a second to tuck you in, OK?” Reyna reluctantly sulked off to the bathroom, clearly not wanting to interrupt their fun. Thalia smiled tiredly, sighing inwardly as she cleaned up the Scrabble pieces. It was only around 8 pm, and it had been less than a day, but the stress of dealing with a young child was already getting to her. She had just finished with the Scrabble box when Reyna bounded back into the room. 

“Ready for bed?” The preschooler nodded and climbed on top of the couch. Thalia looked on confusedly. “What are you doing? You sleep in your bed, and I’ll take the couch.” Reyna shook her head, pulling a blanket over her. “No, not only am I the host and you the guest, but I’m much younger than you, so it won’t hurt my back and whatnot as it might you,” she said flatly. Thalia remained silent for a moment. She had no idea that Reyna could be this considerate, especially towards her, say nothing about being 5. “OK,” she said reluctantly. “But you take the bed tomorrow, all right? We’ll switch for the week.” 

“Deal.” The two shook on it, and Thalia smiled at Reyna. “I was thinking we could go to the aquarium tomorrow if you’d like.” Reyna grinned back sleepily. “I’d love that.” Thalia flicked off the lights and turned to leave before remaining for a few seconds more. “Goodnight, Rey,” she said softly. _“Bonum nocte,_ Thals,” was the only reply she got.


	4. Don't Go Where I Can't Follow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter got waaay more angsty than planned, but I'm dealing with some stuff, so there's that. Please leave a review, I promise there'll be more fluff next chapter.

It was always the same nightmare. May, about 10 years ago, in Hollywood. Thalia’s mother, the drunk starlet Beryl Grace, had just essentially sold her child to the queen of Olympus. Jason wasn’t really her child. He was Thalia’s brother, and they were separated. She may have been reunited with him now, but he was gone then, and there would always be a scar in her heart from that. She was crying in her dream, tears running down her cheeks as the sun rose and flooded her vision. With a start, Thalia recognized the room as Reyna’s, the sun shining through the gap in the curtains. 

She rolled over and groaned. It was officially day 1 of what she had dubbed ‘Preschool-Sized Hell’, and she had made the excellent decision to take Reyna to the aquarium. Because that was going to go well. Thalia sat up, looked at the clock (8 am, joy), and flopped back down into the bed, swearing at the muffled objection beneath her. She looked down, noticing a small form curled into her own side, clutching gently at her shirt. “Reyna,” she said sternly. “What are you doing?” she interrogated as the tiny demigod sat up. 

“You were having a bad dream, and I wanted to make sure you were OK,” Reyna said, rubbing her little fists in her eyes, trying to chase the exhaustion away. Thalia’s heart melted at how cute she was, and how considerate her actions were. She couldn’t help herself. She opened her arms for a hug, and Reyna happily allowed herself to be embraced, practically jumping on top of her in her rush for physical attention. 

“Whoa there, killer. How about we get changed, and then have some breakfast? I think there’s a bakery in New Rome,” Thalia offered. Reyna gave her a thumbs up and leapt off the bed, running into the closet and pulling two Camp Jupiter tees off the rack and thrusting both of them into her face. Thalia leaned back to get a better look. The one on the left had a lightning bolt insignia wreathed in laurels and the other a sword and torch. “Should we wear our parents' or each other's’?” Reyna was bouncing up and down with excitement at this point. Thalia blinked rapidly. She might as well take the Jupiter one. 

“Well, I’ll take the—” “—The Bellona one! Cool!” Reyna butted in, draping the shirt of her mother over Thalia. The daughter of Zeus sighed and stepped out of bed, stretching. Her eyes widened as Reyna stripped her shirt off right in front of her, turning around so she could put on the Jupiter one. Thalia knew all demigods had scars, but Reyna had multiple on her back, like some twisted game of tic-tac-toe. She cleared her throat, prompting the girl to turn around, eyebrows raised in confusion. “Reyna? Where did you get those scars?” Reyna looked down at the ground, avoiding her eyes. Thalia knelt down, taking her hands in her own once more. 

“It’s OK, you can tell me. But those don’t look like monster scars, Rey.” Reyna finally looked into her eyes, obsidian meeting blue. “I was on a pirate ship for a while. With Blackbeard. And trust me, those scars are from monsters.” Thalia felt like she had been slapped. How could someone live like this, so young? Then again, that was the trademark of a demigod. Live fast, die young, she thought bitterly. She released Reyna’s hands, instead engulfing her in a hug. Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano, the daughter of Bellona and senior praetor of the Twelfth Legion Fulminata might’ve annoyed her to no end, but this wasn’t her. This was Rey, the little girl who liked Jupiter band-aids and Scrabble, jellybeans and grilled cheese. 

Thalia pulled back, gripping Reyna’s shoulders. “Now, how about we get changed, some food, and then go to the aquarium? We’ll have to go into San Francisco, but I think Annabeth and Piper might be coming, as well as Jason and Percy. I asked them last night and it turns out Jason and Piper are in California visiting her dad, and Percy and Annabeth are in the city itself visiting Annabeth’s dad. They said they’d love to come, so you’ll have some friends other than me, OK?” she grinned. 

Reyna excitedly nodded, going to brush her teeth and finish changing. Thalia picked up the Bellona shirt, reluctantly pulling it on and borrowing a pair of Reyna’s athletic sweats (she was honestly surprised the Roman had anything other than jeans). She stepped out into the street with Reyna, ready for breakfast and the aquarium. 

It was official. Thalia was going to kill her brother and cousin. 

_ 1 Hour Earlier _

She and Reyna had gone into New Rome for breakfast, Reyna getting hot chocolate and icing with a side of pastry. Thalia had been content with a muffin and coffee (which Reyna tried to steal) as Reyna convinced her to let them take her pegasus, Guido, into downtown San Francisco. Thalia hated heights, but she tolerated it, holding onto Reyna tightly and hoping neither of them would fall off their carrier. The pair landed safely at Annabeth’s house, where Piper was. She had been a little suspicious when neither Jason nor Percy was there, but she trusted Annabeth and Piper. 

But alas, they didn’t trust her. As soon as Reyna bounded up to them, Piper marched toward her. “What in Hades did you do?” she growled. “That is a  _ literal child! _ ” Thalia looked in confusion from Piper to Reyna, who was still sporting a black eye and cut on the side of her face. Oh. “What do you mean? The cut and black eye are from when she dropped a grilled cheese pan on herself,” Thalia defended herself. Piper’s shoulders slumped as she scratched the back of her head nervously. “Sorry. That was out of line for me and I shouldn’t have assumed. Can we forget that happened?” Thalia nodded and clapped Piper on the soldier, nodding with a grin on her face to Annabeth, who was looking on as Reyna mimicked a sword fight. 

“Where are the boys?” Thalia queried. “They said they’d meet us at the museum in like half an hour, but it’ll take almost as long to get there, so if you’re ready, we can go now,” Annabeth informed her. Thalia nodded and started walking to the car Piper had driven up, a black SUV. “You want to drive?” Piper offered. “No thanks, I’ll sit in the backseat with Reyna. Do you have a car seat?” 

Judging from Piper’s curse, she did not. “It’s OK, she can sit on my lap, I guess. Hey Rey, let’s get in.” Reyna grinned, and Thalia didn’t miss the raised eyebrows between Annabeth and Piper. Once Reyna got settled (un)comfortably on her lap, the car ride was pretty uneventful. They drove for a while, finally arriving at the aquarium. Jason and Percy were still nowhere to be seen, and at this point Thalia was apprehensive. Piper excused herself and walked over to the family bathroom, instead of the women's’. Several minutes later, she came out flanked by Jason and Percy. Oh, gods. She was  _ definitely  _ going to kill them. 

Jason was dressed in a navy blue three-piece suit with a sky blue tie that matched his eye. He wore lightning bolt cufflinks and brown leather dress shoes.  _ He was Zeus _ . She forced herself to look at Percy, and Thalia physically cringed. Birkenstocks. Khaki shorts. Tropical floral shirt. Annabeth leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper. “Jason and Percy wanted to do something for Reyna. They thought she might like it if Zeus and Poseidon came, as opposed to just them. What do you think?” she grinned. Thalia kept her voice low. “I’m sure Reyna will like it, but it makes me want to dip in the Lethe,” she said through a forced smile and gritted teeth. 

Annabeth laughed and gripped her on the shoulder. “We’ll see you later. Piper and I have been planning on going shopping for senior year, so we’ll pick you and the boys up later. Good luck!” Thalia whipped around as the daughter of Athena walked away, Piper at her heels. “Wait, no, you can’t leave me with them!” but the girls simply high-fived as the door closed behind them. Thalia turned around to face her fate. “All right.” She took Reyna’s hand and reluctantly walked toward the boys. “Day 1. Here we come.”

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Jason, I  _ will  _ murder you if you fly to the top of the tank so you can high-five the octopus. Percy, I’m sorry, but no, you are  _ not  _ allowed to swim with the manta ray. Yes, I’m sure he’s very friendly, but no. Reyna—” Thalia trailed off. Where was she? Honestly, she regretted bringing Reyna. She already had two other children to look after it seemed. She glanced around, waiting for a purple-clad preschooler to pop out. Finally, she sent her eyes upwards. Oh, gods. Jason was holding Reyna in his arms, the two hovering above the top of the exhibit, Reyna reaching her hand out to the shark lurking just under the surface. Percy, being an idiot, was cheering them on. 

“Jason Grace! Absolutely not!” she barked, getting a few stares from mortals. Her brother looked at her in confusion. And then, in true demigod fashion, everything went wrong at once. Jason dropped Reyna into the infamous shark tunnel. Thalia knew they were mostly peaceful, but Reyna couldn’t swim, and neither could she or Jason, being children of the sky god. “Percy!” she shouted. “Can you help her?” She jabbed her finger rapidly in the direction of a floundering Reyna. Percy nodded, and she prayed to Poseidon that Reyna would be OK. She didn’t know what she would do if anything happened. Hylla would kill her, and Thalia wouldn't even object. 

The next minute was probably the tensest 60 seconds of her life. Not even Half-Blood Hill compared to this because this time it was someone other than herself. Thalia watched as Jason flew Percy up to the top of the tank, letting the son of Poseidon dive in after the girl. Percy swam with god-like speed toward Reyna. She bit her lip so hard it started bleeding. Percy wrapped his arm around Reyna, and they shot through the surface of the water. Her heart froze as Reyna wasn’t moving. Jason began chest compressions until Percy placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. Thalia turned and vomited into a trash can, her stomach churning. Percy rested two fingers on Reyna’s lips, drawing water out of her lungs. 

Reyna began to cough and sputter as Thalia ran over to her, cradling her small wet form close to her chest. She barely noticed as Jason and Percy gripped both of her shoulders, reassuring her. A mortal security guard rushed over with a blanket, and a visitor that seemed to be a doctor checked Reyna’s heart and lungs just in case. The next hour was a blur. Aquarium staff comforting the four demigods, some of them checking the tank Reyna was in. Thalia had no idea what the Mist showed humans. She didn’t care. Eventually, Piper and Annabeth ran into the room, saying there was a throng of reporters and whatnot by the entrance. 

Thalia’s mind was a mess as they were finally allowed to leave, due in large part to Piper’s charm speak. Both Jason and Percy offered to carry Reyna back to the car, but Thalia declined, rather doing it herself. Reyna fell asleep in the car, still curled up in Thalia’s lap. Piper drove them back to the Caldecott Tunnel, something Thalia greatly appreciated. She gently handed the sleeping preschooler to Annabeth before engulfing Percy and Jason in a massive hug, tears brimming in her eyes. The group said their goodbyes, and Thalia picked up Reyna bridal style, carrying her through the tunnel and past the guards, past the concerned looks of Hazel and Frank, past the sneering Lares that quickly frowned at the girl in her arms. 

As Thalia opened the door to Reyna’s villa, Reyna began to stir in her arms. Thalia gently changed her out of her wet clothes and into dry ones, placing her down in bed before climbing in beside her, not daring to let her be alone. A tiny hand grasped hers. “What happened?” Reyna asked weakly. Thalia wrapped her arms around her, kissing the top of her head affectionately. “You went where I couldn’t follow. But you came back. And I always will too.” 


	5. Greater Than Hercules And McDonald's

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this was so late, I'd love some feedback. This is 2.22k words of garbage, so consider yourself warned.

For once in her life, Thalia slept well. While she knew she should have been keeping watch over Reyna just in case, she was just too exhausted, both physically and mentally. She didn't even have nightmares, but the events of yesterday made up for that. The possibility of Reyna almost drowning, dying in a way that Thalia would have no chance of saving her, frightened her. She was so thankful for Percy and Jason; especially the former. 

The sunlight streaming in through the blinds told her it was probably late, but both she and Reyna needed the sleep. Speaking of the tiny demigod, she was curled into Thalia's body, and Thalia realized her arms were wound around her, holding her secure. For a moment, Thalia felt panic. She still had her vows of maidenhood, and this felt, well, less than platonic. She calmed herself down. She didn't like Reyna other than as a friend, she was just taking care of an important ally. Right? Thalia tried to pull her arms away from the daughter of Bellona, but she stirred. 

The preschooler shifted so that her sleepy face was staring straight at Thalia's blushing one. "Thals?" Reyna's voice was lidded with sleep, and her eyes were barely open. Thalia forced herself to sound casual. "Hey, Reyna. Sleep well?" she asked, hoping her attempts at steering the conversation away from where she feared it would go would work. Reyna sat up, completely dwarfed by the size of the bed and pillows and well, everything. She rubbed her eyes and looked around, seemingly disoriented. "Yes. I-" she cut off. "I don't remember anything. What happened?" 

Thalia cursed internally. Great. She sat up as well, glancing at the clock. "Gods, it's already 1 PM. What in Hades?" she tried nervously. Reyna crossed her arms, cocking an eyebrow. "Tragic as that is, I have time. What happened?" Thalia sighed. "Well, we went to the aquarium yesterday, Annabeth and Piper drove us there. Percy and Jason met us there, and they were dressed like idiots," she stated. "Oh?" now both of Reyna's eyebrows were raised. "I'll give you the rundown and spare you the memory. Jason; 3-piece suit, cowboy boots. Percy; tropical shirt, Birkenstocks with socks." Reyna's face twisted in horror, and she made a 3-fingered claw, pushing it away from her chest. Thalia nodded sagely. The sign to ward away evil. 

"Anyway, they were acting stupid. Jason flew you up to the top of the infamous San Francisco shark tunnel so you could pet the shark, at Percy's encouragement," the daughter of Zeus continued. "And then-" her voice caught. How could she possibly explain this to Reyna? She wasn't sure who was mostly in charge here, Praetor Reyna or Kid Reyna. "And then Jason dropped you into the tank. Because I distracted him." The words tasted bitter in her mouth, and she all but spat them out, desperate to cleanse her pallet of them. "You almost died, Rey. I thought you did for a moment there as well. If not for Percy, granted, you wouldn't be in that mess, but if he wasn't there..." Thalia shivered. 

"It's OK." Thalia looked up in surprise. Out of all the things for Reyna to say, that was what she least expected. The 5-year-old took her hands in hers, though she could only really grasp a few of Thalia’s fingers with them. "It wasn't your fault, Thals. It wasn't anybody's fault. We're demigods, and death is more the familiar face in the street than the challenger in the arena. It's who we are. And if that means I get to be friends with people, good people, like you and Nico and Frank and Hazel, I'm willing to greet the face in the street."

Thalia stared in awe of her. It was so surreal to hear a 5-year-old speak as one of the Fates. Even Apollo would've been impressed with her poetry. She didn't realize the tear slipping down her face, or the slight shivering breath she took until Reyna leaned forward and wiped away the tear with her thumb. "You are a child of the sky. You have freedom and courage in your blood, but you also have pride. I am a child of war. I march to the beat of the battle drum, not anyone else's, or even my own. This is who we are. As children of gods, we do not yearn for long years to sap our strength before we know it. We crave excellence and honor, even if only for a short span on this earth."

Thalia nodded and swallowed. "That was really good," she admitted. "You should give pep talks more often." Reyna smiled softly. "It's not so much a pep talk as poetry or even the truth. I'll never admit it, but in my journal, I have many musings such as these. They're soothing," she confessed. "I can show you the journal sometimes if you'd like." Thalia nodded and smiled. "I'd like that." 

The two sat there in comfortable silence, Thalia rising to select a shirt and pair of shorts for the day. Just as she had herself settled, the doorbell rang. She looked at Reyna. "Are you expecting anyone?" she asked. "No, people know not to come to the house unless it's personal, and all business is handled at the Principia," the daughter of Bellona frowned. She slid off the bed, walking to the door and struggling to reach the handle. She had to jump several times before she latched onto it in the end, yanking the door back with her whole body. The son of Hades stood against the outdoor walls of the villa, the corners of his mouth upturned in a slight smirk. 

He held up a brown paper bag in his hand, and Thalia recognized the logo amidst the grease stains. "Happy meals, anyone?" Nico said nonchalantly. She could hug him right now. Thalia opened her arms, inviting him in. "Why not?" she grinned, the son of Hades returning it. The two cousins sat down on the couch, Nico handing her a burger wrapped partly in foil and partly in oil. Reyna remained unmoved as the two began to dig in, ketchup smearing along their mouths. "What are those things? Harpy meals, you called them?" she asked suspiciously. 

Thalia set down her soda incredulously. "You've never had McDonald’s before? How is that even possible? Have you even had fast food before?" Reyna shook her head confusedly. Nico wiped his hands on his black jeans and leaned forward. "Well, my girl," he started. Reyna interrupted him quickly. "Don't call me that," she snapped. He spread his hands apologetically. "As you have been taught, nectar and ambrosia are the foods of the gods. While that is true, you clearly have no idea what the food of demigods is. McDonald’s. The greasiest burgers in the mortal world. Even Zeus isn't as slimy as their burgers." Thalia glanced at him, but she knew what he was saying was true for the most part.

"And that makes it good?" Reyna pointed out. "I'm not eating whatever that is, it'll ruin my abs," she complained, lifting up her shirt to show an uncomfortably buff 6-pack. Thalia choked slightly on her burger. Nico only grinned. "Well then it's a good thing I brought chicken nuggies!" he exclaimed. "Chicken nuggies," Reyna deadpanned, catching the carton of nuggets that her friend threw at her and sniffing it experimentally. Thalia was getting bored of this. "Reyna, if you just eat the food, you can have jelly beans," she offered. The preschooler looked up with sudden interest, a slight gleam of hope in her eyes. "The coffee flavor?" Thalia waved her hand dismissively. "Yes, you can have the cappuccino kind," she promised. "Just come and eat with us," she pleaded. 

Reyna flashed a toothy smile before climbing over the back of the couch and squeezing herself in between Nico and Thalia. She opened the carton and selected a nugget, biting into it gingerly. "Whoa." She looked at the teenagers. "This is great," she said, finishing the piece of chicken. Thalia shook her head, the corners of her mouth tugging into a mile. Nico looked prouder than she had ever seen him as if this was the greatest moment of his life. The three ate in silence for the rest of the meal, Reyna reverently dipping her nuggets in every single sauce she could find, making Thalia gag with every ungodly bite. 

Before long they leaned back into the couches; Reyna snuggling into the two of them, putting her head in Thalia's lap and her legs into Nico's. Her eyes closed and her breathing became steady and rhythmic. Thalia smiled, sharing a look with the son of Hades. As usual, he was dressed in his black skull tee with black jeans and boots, completed with the leather aviator jacket, which had an uncharacteristic bulge on its side. The daughter of Zeus jutted her chin in the direction of the lump. "What's in there, Nico?" He put a finger to his mouth, reaching into his jacket with the other hand. Thalia stared in disbelief as he pulled out the stupidest-looking shark stuffed animal she could imagine. 

"I heard you two had some trouble at the aquarium yesterday," Nico explained with a sly smile on his face. "I thought you might want to turn it into a pleasant memory." He pointed to Reyna with the tail of the shark. Thalia broke out into a huge grin and gently shook Reyna awake. "I think Nico has a present for you, Rey." The preschooler’s eyes snapped open, pushing herself up and staring in joyous awe at the plush in front of her. She snatched it eagerly, hugging it close to her chest. "Thank you, Neeks," Reyna gushed. The son of Hades looked a little put off by the nickname, but he smiled nonetheless. "You're welcome, Reyna. Do you know what you're going to name him?"

Reyna looked at Nico briefly before her gaze settled on Thalia. The daughter of Zeus shifted uncomfortably as obsidian eyes bored into her. While she would never admit it, the daughter of Bellona scared her. Thalia snapped her attention back to Reyna, who was still clutching the shark to her chest. "Mi Cielo," she stated comfortably. Thalia gave her an awkward smile, not knowing what she meant. She assumed it was Spanish, 'my' something. Nico's smile broadened. "Reyna, do you want to explain what that means to Thalia? I know because Spanish and Italian are somewhat similar, but Thalia's a Greek and whatnot," the son of Hades finished as Thalia gently punched him in the shoulder. 

"It means 'my sky'," Reyna whispered. "Your daddy is Jupiter. He's the god of the sky, and that makes you my sky," she reasoned. Thalia's voice was choked with emotion, and she quickly mimicked a cough, trying to throw the others off the scent. It failed. Nico started grinning, then chuckling, then full out wheezing. Reyna joined in just for the fun of it, and Thalia eventually laughed herself. Nico wiped a small tear from his eyes. She was glad to see her cousin so happy. He deserved it. The son of Hades scanned the room, his eyes resting on the TV cabinet. 

He rose despite Reyna's pleas to stay and crouched in front of the cabinet, tugging the door open. He pulled a movie out, but Thalia couldn't see what the title was. "Reyna, have you ever seen Hercules?" Nico questioned. The daughter of Bellona stretched and shook her head. Jason gave it to me when we were both praetors, it was my birthday. I never got around to watching it." She smiled fondly at the memory, and Thalia reciprocated the gesture. She snatched the movie out of Nico’s hands, slotting it within the DVD player. She sat back down and switched the TV on with the remote, Reyna climbing onto the couch alongside her. Nico sat on the far end, wrapping himself up in his jacket. 

Reyna settled herself on Thalia’s lap, putting her hair down for the first time since Thalia had met her. Thalia’s hand rose, and she found herself fiddling with Reyna’s hair, working it in a side braid. It was uncomfortable to see her without it. The movie began, and Thalia found herself laughing at the depiction of Zeus. He was an exact replica of her father, except for the fact that he was arrogant and childish. She took that back. He was an exact replica of her father. “What’s so funny?” Reyna asked, twisting in her lap. “Nothing,” Thalia replied, stroking the girl’s hair back. “This movie is weird,” she decided. “How come Jason is a son of Jupiter and he doesn’t look like that?” Reyna wondered. 

“This is just what mortals think, not what actually happened. Hercules in real life isn’t that nice,” Thalia assured her. “Besides, you know that there’s a greater hero other than Hercules, right? Both the Romans  _ and  _ the Greeks admire them.” Reyna’s eyes lit up, and she looked more anxious than Thaila had ever seen her, but she secretly suspected that might be because of the cappuccino jelly beans. “Who is it?” she asked excitedly. 

  
Thalia leaned in. “You,” she stated simply, kissing Reyna’s forehead. “Because you, Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano, are my  _ personal  _ hero.”


	6. It's What Makes You A Hero

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't updated recently. I had stuff. I think I'll do maybe two more chapters after this one, and I'll put effort into them as well.

Thalia was woken from her sleep by a whimpering noise. She pushed herself up onto her elbows, groggily surveying the dark room around her. A quick glance at the clock told her it was early morning, around 3 am. Thalia struggled to remember what she was doing in here. She knew it was Reyna’s room, but why was she here, and where was Reyna.

Something vague about Hercules and chicken nuggets, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to know more about that. Oh, right. Nico had come over, the three of them binging on McDonald’s and movies. They finished Hercules, and while Nico desperately wanted to show Reyna ‘The Emperor’s New Groove’, the daughter of Bellona refused, claiming it was her turn to pick something. 

Thus, the three demigods had been subjected to a horrendous showing of a preschooler watching a gory documentary about various serial killers with a look of pure fascination on her face. Eventually, it was dinner time, and Nico had left, claiming he had a date with Will. While Thalia didn’t mind, she had a sneaking suspicion Nico just wanted to avoid more serial killers. Reyna had fallen asleep soon after that, Thalia wrapping her in a blanket and attempting to carry her back into the bedroom, but the daughter of Bellona hadn’t budged. 

Eventually, Thalia gave up and retreated to the bedroom, opening up her laptop. She didn’t notice when it was almost midnight, and she realized she should probably go to sleep. She completed her nightly ritual, checking up on Reyna before she returned to the bedroom. The tiny demigod was curled up on the couch against the pillow, lightly clutching herself. Thalia’s heart warmed at the sight, and she resisted the urge to go and cuddle with Reyna. She resisted it, though; she was here to babysit the praetor, not mother hen her. The Roman wouldn’t appreciate the gesture, she chided herself. 

The whimpers cut back into Thalia’s thoughts, and she climbed out of bed, switching the bedside lamp on. She quickly realized they must be coming from Reyna, and she bolted out of the room, skidding to a stop as she flicked the main light on. Reyna was thrashing like a fish out of water as she cried out. The blanket Thalia had draped over her had been thrown off, and her skin was beaded with a thin layer of sweat. 

“Rey,” Thalia tried. No response. “Reyna.” The girl was still bucking back and forth, and Thalia tentatively raised a hand to the small of her back in an attempt to wake her. It was a mistake. As soon as her hand made contact with her back, Reyna flew backward, her eyes opening wildly as if they had been tasered. The daughter of Zeus hesitantly pulled her hand back, kneeling in front of Reyna while keeping some distance. 

Reyna was breathing erratically. “It’s OK, Rey, I’m right here.” Thalia kept uttering soothing words to the tiny demigod, desperately trying to calm her. After what felt like an eternity, Reyna was finally grounded enough to swallow and look at Thalia with fear in her eyes. She sat back down from her standing position on the couch, wiping her tiny hands on her legs. Thalia made eye contact with her and nodded warmly, making sure Reyna was comfortable. 

“Whatever’s wrong, you can talk to me, Rey,” she reassured, using a thumb to gently wipe away a tear on Reyna’s cheek. The preschooler nodded and pulled her knees into her chest, taking a deep, stuttering breath. “I had a bad dream,” she whispered. “It about the pirates again, Thals. They were mad at me, and they said I had been bad. They hurt me,” she shivered. Thalia’s heart froze and shattered. 

“Look, Rey. I wish I could take away what happened. I really do,” Thalia comforted. “If I could offer you a life without pain and regret, I would do it in a heartbeat. But I can’t. That pain and that regret is part of what makes you a hero, Reyna. A hero. Nothing less.” Reyna slowly looked up, reaching her hands out tentatively. Thalia received them in her own, noticing how cold they felt. She looked up at Reyna and silently rose. “Don’t go. Please.” The daughter of Zeus pulled her in for a hug, lifting her up and holding her secure.

Reyna buried her head in Thalia’s shoulder, and Thalia moved her hands so that she was touching Reyna’s back. She internally winced as her fingers moved over patches of raised skin that adorned the demigod’s back. Her throat constricted in anger. Reyna didn’t deserve this. She walked into the bedroom and sat down on the bed, Reyna still crying softly into her shoulder. Eventually, Thalia leaned back into the pillows, Reyna clinging to her side as the daughter of Zeus rubbed her back. 

“Beauty is pain and there’s beauty in everything,” Thalia breathed out. The daughter of Bellona looked up at her, eyes filled with a little bit of confusion. “There’s this one daughter of Apollo I know. She said this once, and I think it’s important. You might have pain, Reyna. But you also have so much beauty. And I hope you’ll realize that. Because every time you feel pain, you show beauty. You shine with it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please leave feedback.


	7. The Enlightenment, New Rome, Circa 2010s

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK, I am SO SORRY that I haven't been updating frequently. Freshman year starts next week, and I've got sports practices daily, so again, sorry. 
> 
> This is the penultimate chapter, and I've got to say, I've had a lot of fun writing this, and I hope you've had a lot of fun reading this. 
> 
> *shrugs* Enjoy, as well.

Thalia took a deep breath as she counted the days inside her head. The nightmare incident had been two days ago, and thank the gods she only had two more days before Reyna was turned into a teen again. It wasn’t that she had anything against little Reyna (in fact, she found her slightly more enjoyable than teen Reyna), she just found that full-time babysitting was exhausting. 

Luckily, she had been able to call in reinforcements. Hylla had to come to camp anyway due to business negotiations, and she was willing to stay a little longer to say hi to Reyna. Thalia wasn’t sure what their relationship was. She had only seen the two of them together briefly in Puerto Rico, and it was, well...stressed. Apparently Hylla was bringing Kinzie along as her plus one/advisor as well.

She and Reyna had spent the past few days taking walks in New Rome, eating from bakeries, playing board games, and watching movies. Thalia felt honored that Reyna showed her her favorite spot in New Rome, the garden of Bacchus. They had discovered together that Reyna slept better when she was with Thalia. 

“Your move,” a cheerful voice interrupted her musings. Thalia looked up and saw Reyna was consuming a handful of jelly beans, the brown one. “Reyna! Are those the coffee ones?” she accused. The preschooler shot her a sheepish look, but Thalia saw right through it. She didn’t miss the tint of playful malice in those almost black eyes. Thalia narrowed her eyes and the two began a staring match, the game of chess left forgotten on the floor between them. 

After what felt like an eternity, Thalia’s eyes were watering, and Reyna hadn’t even twitched. Her eyes were as dry as the desert. Eventually, Thalia couldn’t take it. She squeezed her eyes in defeat, feeling a few drops of liquid on her skin. As she opened her eyes, she saw Reyna grinning triumphantly. “I won the staring contest,” she taunted. “Oh, and this game. Checkmate,” she said, savoring the words. 

Thalia hastily wiped her eyes and frowned at the board, seeing that her king had nowhere to go, being pinned by Reyna’s rook. “How is that possible?” Thalia wondered. “You don’t even have your queen, and you’ve lost both of your bishops, half of your pawns, and your knights are gone as well,” Reyna smirked. “My mother is a war goddess, and I a Roman. I excel at these games.”

“What’s she like?” Thalia asked, instantly regretting it due to the look on Reyna’s face. “Bellona is a...paradox. She’s beautiful and terrifying. She’s a summer storm on the plain, so captivating that you can’t help but watch her, and when you snap out of it, you realize everything’s been destroyed.” Reyna shrugged and a small smile graced her features, but her eyes were far away. “Bellona is tall and proud. Skin like mine. She’s got black eyes, and she doesn’t smile. Her hair is black. She wears armour like a second skin. What else is there to say? She’s a goddess. She’s Roman.”

“I’m sorry,” Thalia tried, not knowing what else to say. The doorbell rang, and Reyna rose to get it. “Don’t be.” The daughter of Zeus was left to ponder as the door swung open and the tiny demigod elicited a gasp of joyous surprise. “Kinzie!” Reyna all but shrieked. A smiling auburn-haired girl stepped in, followed by Hylla, sincere as ever, but not without her trademark smirk. “Hey there, Rey! Miss me?” Kinzie asked, hoisting Reyna up and placing her on her hip. 

Thalia smiled and rose, nodding to Kinzie, who sat down on the couch with a giggling Reyna in her lap before facing Hylla. The queen of the Amazons appraised her for a second before uncrossing her arms and pulling her into a slight hug. Thalia’s noise of surprise was muffled by Hylla’s shoulder, and she thought her neck was about to be snapped discreetly in true Amazon fashion. Instead, Hylla pulled back, studying her with a slight smile. 

“Reyna likes you a lot, it’s clear to see,” she said simply. “She doesn’t like many people, either. Same with me. However, you’ve proven yourself to both of us, so welcome to our small family.” Thalia’s eyes were wide with shock, and she managed to choke out a thank you by the grace of the gods. Hylla rested a hand on her shoulder, and Thalia was so thankful that the queen of the Amazons approved of her. Wait a second. Why would Thalia want approval? She was just a baby-sitter, nothing more. 

“Kinz, don’t give Reyna too many jelly beans,” Hylla warned. “You’ve known her since she was twelve, you know how she can be.” Kinzie only smiled and whispered something into the preschooler's ear, who nodded enthusiastically. Next thing Thalia knew, Hylla was throwing her little sister on top of her girlfriend. “Aww, no fair! You can’t use Reyna as a weapon!” Kinzie complained. 

Hylla sat down on the couch beside Kinzie and propped her legs up on her thighs. “A) I completely can. She’s my little sister. B) I’m the queen of the Amazons, and therefore, your queen. Your point is?” she asked smugly. “My point is,” said Kinzie as she shifted Reyna off of her, “that I love you.” She placed a soft kiss on Hylla cheek, making the Amazon queen blush slightly. As much as Thalia loved their relationship, this was awkward for her. 

Thalia cleared her throat and took a seat on one of the other chairs in the room, watching the Amazons take turns teasing Reyna, much to her dismay. Thalia liked this life. Hanging out with Kinzie and Hylla, not always hunting, being with Reyna… “Thalia? You OK?” The daughter of Zeus looked up in momentary confusion. Kinzie was studying her with a concerned look, but Thalia waved her hand in the air. Hylla smirked, and she had a feeling that something was about to go down. 

“Shall we take a stroll through New Rome?” Hylla innocently suggested, Kinzie smiling as well. Reyna’s head was bobbing excitedly, and Thalia knew she had no choice. “Why not?” she said, standing up. “Perfect,” Kinzie grinned. Reyna jumped up and ran into the bedroom, pulling Hylla along with her. “Sorry,” the queen of the Amazons chuckled. “She probably wants me to help her with something.” For a second, Thalia felt a hot spike of jealousy hammer its way into her mind against her will. She shouldn’t care, and Hylla  _ was  _ Reyna’s sister. 

“Shall we meet them outside?” Kinzie suggested. Thalia nodded, offering a brief smile to match the Amazon’s. As they exited the villa into the bright sunshine and brick roads of New Rome, Kinzie cleared her throat. “You know how obvious it is, right?” she teased. Thalia stared and felt some blush rising in her cheeks. “How obvious  _ what  _ is?” she tried to downplay it to the best of her ability, she really did. Kinzie’s eyes sparkled with humour and interest, and Thalia could see why Hylla liked her (which was not the point right now, Grace). 

“Trust me, I know all about it. Those two…” Kinzie trailed off. “They’re something else, huh? They’ve got it all. Beauty, brains, brawn. They’re impossible not to love, aren’t they?” she mused. In that moment, Thalia understood. With a feeling of butterflies trying to hold up the sinking feeling in the bottom of her stomach, she finally realized. Thalia was in love with Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano. 


	8. Wait For It

For the first time since Reyna could remember, she felt peace. Warmth. Acceptance. She was in bed, being held; that much she could tell. Reyna wondered if Hylla was in town, because who else would be with her? She hesitantly cracked her eyes open, expecting to see a pair of tan and muscled arms around her. Nope. Pale skin dotted with freckles. 

Reyna’s body screamed at her to roll over and punch the person (or put them in a chokehold, she wasn’t picky), but she forced herself to take a deep breath and face the person. Blue eyes looked back at her. “Hey there, Rey,” Thalia Grace murmured. Reyna tried to hold it back. She really did. It failed. Reyna screamed, jolting out of Thalia’s arms. The daughter of Zeus looked somewhat surprised and even a bit hurt by Reyna’s actions, but she sat up as well, putting a finger to her lips. 

“Hold on, Rey—” the daughter of Zeus tried. “Don’t call me Rey,” the Roman snapped. Her head was spinning. Why was Thalia even here? Why was she in her bed of all places? And since when had Reyna allowed people to get intimate with her? She preferred the ‘at arm’s reach’ approach. She had allies, not friends. Reyna sucked in a deep breath. She should probably try to at least be approachable. 

“Thalia. Will you be so kind as to explain to me what the Hades happened? And why was I sharing a bed with you, a Hunter of Artemis that has forsworn romantic love?” she asked through somewhat gritted teeth. Thalia went even paler (if possible) and ran her hand through her adorable bed-head. “I, um, sort of decided to leave the Hunt. For personal reasons. It’s not official yet though, I’m kind of waiting on someone.” Reyna’s eyebrows rose and her mouth piqued in interest, but she remained silent. “Do you really now remember anything?” Thalia continued, seemingly eager to change the subject. 

Reyna frowned. “No, I don’t,” she admitted. “Perhaps as you were in my bed, you could shed some light on the subject?” she queried, satisfied at the small look of panic that appeared on Thalia’s features. “Juventas camper. You were a preschooler for a week. It was hell.” Reyna stared. “Run that by me again.” Thalia sighed and slipped out from underneath the cover, approaching Reyna  _ (was that her dam shirt? And pajama shorts?)  _ and placing an apologetic hand on her forearm. 

If Reyna was completely honest, she would have moved her hand to fit in Thalia’s, because it just felt so  _ good _ , so  _ natural _ , like when you twist the puzzle piece at all angles and it finally falls into place. Instead, she tensed and met the former(?) Hunter’s eyes, signaling her confusion. “You were turned into a 5-year-old, and I was forced by Annabeth and the others to essentially babysit you for the entire week. We did lots of stupid stuff,” Thalia informed her helpfully. 

Reyna raised her eyebrow. “Are you sure it wasn’t just you?” she teased. Thalia assumed a hurt look. “OK, first of all,” she started, “I wasn’t the one who was dropped into a shark tank because they wanted to pet the shark, so don’t even lecture me on my stupidity.” Reyna’s jaw threatened to drop, and not even Atlas could hold it up. At this point, Reyna honestly wondered if she had been sent on an acid trip. 

“You know what?” she asked, placing her hands on her hips. “We’re going to have this discussion in a public place so that I will feel less motivation to murder you if there are witnesses around. Get changed, we leave in ten minutes,” she finished, turning around and facing her closet. After a few seconds of observation, Reyna turned back to Thalia. “Care to explain where the majority of my shirts have gone?” 

Thalia assumed a sheepish look. “Annabeth kind of literally sent me to be with you for a week with no preparation whatsoever,” the daughter of Zeus said as she walked up beside her. “Modifications had to made.” Reyna snorted. “That sounds like Annabeth,” she commented. “But alas, I suppose you will have to wear something of mine,” she relented. Reyna selected two hangers and tossed Thalia a band t-shirt. 

Thalia held it up and inspected it with a slight twinge of distaste visible on her lip. “Really? Coldplay, Reyna? I expected better of you,” she sighed. Reyna considered responding, but she figured she didn’t want to risk instigating a verbal spat. Instead, she rolled her eyes and changed herself, pulling on her timeless outfit of armour and a cloak over a Camp Jupiter tee. Reyna pulled on her jeans and boots, silently walking out of the door. 

“I’ll see you at the cafe in your own time, Grace!” she called as she strolled out into the sunlight. Reyna received several respectful nods from citizens and Lares alike, and she thought to herself how nice it was to be in her element. In charge. She saw a familiar figure tripping on his cloak as he walked out of a building, holding a container in his hand. 

“Ave, Praetor Zhang!” Reyna smiled. Frank turned and Reyna had never seen someone look so relieved. “Reyna!” Frank gushed, rushing toward her and engulfed her in a massive bear hug, lifting her several feet off the ground. “How do you do this job by yourself? It’s exhausting, and I even have Hazel to help me! I could barely last a week and you went literal months!”

She laughed and clapped him on the back after he finally set her down. “It’s not easy. Hold on to Hazel, OK?” Frank nodded vigorously, and her mind shifted back to the task on hand. “I’ll go over the Legion with you tonight, but I’m a bit busy right now,” she informed him, stepping past him in the direction of her favorite cafe. Frank gave her a small mock salute before turning in the street. 

“Oh, and Frank? If you see Thalia Grace, tell her I’m here, will you?” she asked. Frank looked confused, but he sent her a thumbs up, and Reyna winked before stepping into the interior of the small restaurant. She greeted the owner, who went to work making her usual drink, hot chocolate with espresso shots. Reyna thanked him and was about to turn away and take a seat before thinking better of it. “Can you make two of these? I’m waiting on someone,” she supplied. The man raised his eyebrows but wisely said nothing of it, instead bending back over the counter. 

Minutes later, a bedraggled Thalia showed up, glaring at Reyna as she took a seat across from her at the outdoors table. Reyna gestured to the second drink and coolly sipped from hers, crossing her legs. Thalia reluctantly picked up her mug, gingerly sniffing it. She promptly stood and rose, returning with a handful of sugar packets that she emptied into her drink. 

Reyna suppressed a snort and set hers down, raising her eyebrows at Thalia. “I think you have some explaining to do, so let’s get down to it.”

* * *

“No way,” Reyna deadpanned as Thalia chuckled. “I did NOT drop a grilled cheese pan on my face. I refuse to believe it, in fact.” The daughter of Zeus grinned and shook her head. “Too bad, because it still happened. Have you not noticed the cut on your cheekbone yet?” she queried. Reyna frowned and raised a tentative finger to her face, tracing over the scabbed line of skin.   
“No, I guess I didn’t,” she realized, mind zoning out. She went to take another sip but was disappointed to find that her mug was dry. They hadn’t been talking for that long, had they? Reyna looked at her watch, internally panicking at the fact that they had been conversing with Thalia for over an hour. Well, that was just...super. 

Reyna shook her head. “So Thals, I remember how you said earlier that you were thinking of leaving the Hunt, and you were waiting on someone and their answer? Spill.” Thalia smiled nervously, and she refused to meet her eyes. “I don’t want to leave behind everything I have if it doesn’t pan out, so I’ve decided to be cautious,” she admitted. “Aw, who wants to be cautious?” Reyna laughed. “We’re demigods, live in the moment!” she grinned. “Just ask whoever it is out!”

“Um, OK, then.” Thalia met her eyes. “Reyna, I'm waiting for an answer from you. I’ve asked you before a hundred times, and every time you say yes, but now it’s real. So I’m done waiting for an answer that I’ll never get. Reyna, will you go out with me?”

Reyna stared and took a deep breath, rising from her chair. “Well,” she smiled, offering a hand to Thalia, “I think the wait’s over because I will now be saying yes for the 101st time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I'm finally done. I sincerely hope you enjoyed it. As always, any and all feedback is greatly appreciated. 
> 
> If you have any fic ideas/prompts, I'd love to hear them!
> 
> Thanks for a wild ride, 
> 
> -@evolving-into-icarus/Achilles_Heel


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